Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare West Bank (2008) - Sao Tome and Principe (2004)

Compare West Bank (2008) z Sao Tome and Principe (2004)

 West Bank (2008)Sao Tome and Principe (2004)
 West BankSao Tome and Principe
Administrative divisions - 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome


note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 551,243/female 524,800)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 704,209/female 670,382)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 36,175/female 49,118) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 47.7% (male 43,810; female 42,708)


15-64 years: 48.4% (male 42,469; female 45,456)


65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,275; female 3,847) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports 3 (2007) 2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 5,860 sq km


land: 5,640 sq km


water: 220 sq km


note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
total: 1,001 sq km


land: 1,001 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Delaware more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Background The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999, Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March 2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries. ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007 signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip. ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of presidential decrees formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue. During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland, ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal of reaching a final peace settlement by the end of 2008. Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate 30.99 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 41.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.149 billion


expenditures: $2.31 billion


note: includes Gaza Strip (2006)
revenues: $38.59 million


expenditures: $42.04 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2003 est.)
Capital - Sao Tome
Climate temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 209 km
Constitution - approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: West Bank
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe


conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe


local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe


local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Currency - dobra (STD)
Death rate 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $NA $318 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US - the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Diplomatic representation in the US - Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580
Disputes - international West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region none
Economic aid - recipient $1.4 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
Economy - overview The West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifada began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely a result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of closures and access restrictions in response to security concerns in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial embargo of the PA when HAMAS ran the PA during March 2006 - June 2007 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries. Since June the Fayyad government in the West Bank has restarted salary payments and the provision of services but would be unable to operate absent high levels of international assistance. This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 29 years ago. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has been rewarded by international donors, who pledged increased assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea; production could begin as early as 2004.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 15.81 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports NA kWh 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants 17 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Environment - current issues adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003) dobras per US dollar - 9,347.58 (2003), 9,088.32 (2002), 8,842.11 (2001), 7,978.17 (2000), 7,118.96 (1999)
Executive branch - chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA (since 17 September 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president


election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
Exports $301 million f.o.b.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Netherlands 41.7%, Canada 16.7%, Belgium 8.3%, Germany 8.3%, Philippines 8.3% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - purchasing power parity - $214 million (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 13%


services: 79% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.)
agriculture: 19.6%


industry: 17.8%


services: 62.6% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -8% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006 est.) 5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 35 15 E 1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2005 est.) the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Highways - total: 320 km


paved: 218 km


unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports $2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, consumer goods, construction materials machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006) Portugal 51.6%, Germany 11.3%, Italy 6.5%, Belgium 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8% (2003)
Independence - 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) NA
Industries generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
Infant mortality rate total: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 44.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 46.57 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 42.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.6% (includes Gaza Strip) (2006) 9% (2003 est.)
International organization participation - ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Irrigated land 150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003) 100 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force 605,000 (2006) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 18%


industry: 15%


services: 67% (2006)
population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing


note: shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries total: 404 km


border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 16.9%


permanent crops: 18.97%


other: 64.13% (2001)
arable land: 6.25%


permanent crops: 48.96%


other: 44.79% (2001)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Portuguese (official)
Legal system - based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch - unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.46 years


male: 71.68 years


female: 75.35 years (2007 est.)
total population: 66.63 years


male: 65.11 years


female: 68.21 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.4%


male: 96.7%


female: 88% (2004 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.3%


male: 85%


female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location Middle East, west of Jordan Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT


by type: bulk 2, cargo 14, chemical tanker 2, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3


foreign-owned: British Virgin Islands 1, Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Portugal 1, Ukraine 2 (2004 est.)
Military branches - Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard, National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $500,000 (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 0.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 38,347 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 20,188 (2004 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality noun: NA


adjective: NA
noun: Sao Tomean(s)


adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards droughts NA
Natural resources arable land fish, hydropower
Net migration rate 2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population 2,535,927


note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
181,565 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 46% (2007 est.) 54% NA (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 2.985% (2007 est.) 3.18% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Santo Antonio, Sao Tome
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 25, shortwave 0 (2008) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Religions Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female


total population: 1.038 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services


international: country code - 970 (2004)
general assessment: adequate facilities


domestic: minimal system


international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 349,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) 4,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 30 (2008) 2 (2002)
Terrain mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate 4.17 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 18.6% (2006) NA
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.